Another hour passed and there was still no sign of Jenny.

The others had fallen asleep, but I couldn't drag myself from the window. I should have seen her running across the grounds already. Jenny was by no means stupid. In such terrible weather, she'd know that it was better to be inside. We lived in England, for God's sake. We were practised in the art of sheltering from anything remotely wet or cold that dropped from the sky.

'Bloody hell,' I cursed and stepped into my trainers.

There was no time to waste in changing out of my pyjamas. I tugged my hoodie on over them and hurried out of the room. I kept a hand on the wall as I made my way through the corridor, relying on the feeble flashlight app on my phone to illuminate my path. I could have turned the lights on, but it would have woken up everyone else. I was less concerned about the students waking up and more about the teachers. If they found out what I was doing, I'd likely be sent back to bed, and they'd go out to drag the girls inside.

Jenny's mother wouldn't be happy to get a call about that.

As I said, they didn't tend to enforce the rules, but I wasn't about to play with the risk.

I hesitated at the door. It was pitch black outside, and I didn't want my phone to get drenched while I was using it to find my way.

But what choice did I have?

I pulled my hood up over my head and took off at a jog towards the lake. The glass was slippery, but so long as I kept moving, I managed to stay upright. After a few minutes, my clothes were sticking to my skin. I hated to think about what kind of condition I might find the others in if they'd been stuck outdoors for hours.

The school lake was used for P.E lessons, mostly. It was where we learnt how to rowboats and had little races when the weather was nicer. It didn't hide the fact that it was a school for rich brats. Most places would just make the kids swim in there. Instead, we had a nice Olympic size pool for that kind of thing.

There were a few old trees which had been on the grounds since before the school was built, and a little jetty where the boats could be moored during lessons. The rest of the time, they were kept in the boathouse. I tried there first but found it locked. It was obvious that no one was inside so I didn't spend much time on it. I turned around, pondering on where to run to next when I walked straight into someone's chest.

'Beth!'

'Charlie?' I rubbed my sleeve over my eyes to improve my vision. 'What are you doing out here?'

'I got a call from Chantelle,' he explained. 'What about you?'

'Jenny went out with her, but she didn't come back. I thought I should look for her.'

'You're soaked!'

'So are you,' I pointed out. 'You go that way and I'll look around by the outbuildings, okay?'

He nodded and left me to my own devices. If I'd known that Chantelle was going to send for help, then I wouldn't have bothered. Okay, so that wasn't true. I didn't like to leave my friend's fates to anyone else. They were basically my sisters and we had to look out for each other.

I found a few of them huddled under the meagre shelter that the edge of the supply shed's roof offered. I shone the torchlight at them and took some small satisfaction in the way the little princesses squealed in distress and covered their eyes. 'There you are. Christ, you all look ridiculous.'

'What are you doing out here?' Chantelle asked bitterly. 'I sent for my brother.'

'He's looking, too. Where's Jenny?' I asked.

'She said she was going to go back before us. Then we got stuck in this downpour.'

'What, so she's not with you?'

'Obviously not! Where's Charlie?' Chantelle spat. 'I want to go to bed, not sit out here with a freak like you.'

'I'll send him this way when I next see him, your Majesty.'

As it happened, I didn't need to go far to find Charlie. Like me, he must have assumed that Jenny was with his sister because he was still calling out Chantelle's name rather than hers. I skidded clumsily to a halt behind him, making the boy turn around in surprise. He was quick to steady me when my shoes slipped in the sodden earth and I let out a soft huff of relief at not having ended up on my arse in the mud.

'I found them. Well, most of them,' I explained. 'Around by the sheds. Take them back, okay? I have to keep looking.'

'Who's missing?'

I almost didn't want to tell him. It would be easier to search alone. When I looked into his eyes, wide with worry, I couldn't help but tell him the truth. 'Jenny. They said she went back early. She might be at the dorms already. When you go back, can you check?'

'Give me your number, I'll call you if I find her there. If not, I'll come back out to help you look.'

The exchange was handled swiftly, and we parted company again. I'd cut across the turf to get to the lake, but Jenny was sensible and would have stuck to the paths even if it meant a longer route. My clothes were heavy with the rain, but I didn't let them slow me down. Although I was freezing, and would probably catch a cold, it was nothing to how she'd feel if she spent any longer out in such disgusting weather.

It was unfortunate, then, that said paths had a habit of winding all over the bloody place around the grounds. I wanted to believe that she had made it back to the dorms and, for some reason, just hadn't seen fit to return to the room. She might have gone for a shower first. Even now she might be back in the room wondering where I was. But Jenny wasn't that inconsiderate of other people. She'd want to let us know that she was all right before wandering elsewhere. I was certain that she'd have sent me a text telling me that I was an idiot for worrying and that I should get back inside before I got myself into trouble.

'Jenny!' I called. I'd passed the point of caring that a teacher might find me. Besides, my voice barely carried over the sound of the rain. 'Jen'!'

I stopped to catch my breath in a wooded section of the path. The trees had cast the leaf-strewn paving into darkness and shallow puddles had begun to form on the surface. As annoyed as I'd have been if I'd returned to find her tucked up in bed asleep, I'd have much preferred it to what I found.

Through the darkness and haze of rain, I spotted a figure beneath a tree at the side of the path ahead. She wasn't far from the school buildings and had almost completed her journey. I broke into a sprint to reach her, the cold night air raw in my throat and lungs. I didn't hesitate to grab hold of her shoulders to offer her some stability. From the state of her hands and knees, I deduced that she'd fallen over several times on her way. It must have been a struggle for her to get as close as she had; it looked like the trunk of the old oak was the only thing keeping her upright.

I tugged off my hoodie and Jenny looked at me through her lashes, her eyes weary with the effort it was taking to stay awake. I pulled my friend against my chest, glad that she had a light, willowy frame, and wrapped the sopping garment around her. It still had some of my body heat clinging to it and it was better than nothing at all.

'Jenny, stay awake, okay? I can't carry you,' I told her. 'Just lean on me, and keep your feet moving.'

My phone vibrated in my jacket pocket. I fished it out while trying not to jostle Jenny too much.

J isn't here.

Charlie had certainly been quick about checking out the dorms. I tapped out a swift reply to let him know where we were. On the one hand, I didn't want to make the poor guy run back out in the rain. On the other, I seriously needed some help. I looped my friend's arm over my shoulders and staggered under her weight.

Okay, so I hadn't thought my plan through.

Jenny's knees buckled and we both fell to the ground. I managed to land in an awkward crouch which strained my legs but successfully prevented her from slumping in a way that might cause her more harm. With the rain beating down on us both, I curled over her and attempted to shield her as best I could.

'Hey!' Charlie called as he ran to us. 'Beth! Jenny!'

'What took you so long?' I demanded rather unfairly. He was only human, but my arms were starting to ache from cradling Jenny. 'Help me!'

I shouldn't have snapped at him, but I wanted to get her back to the warmth and comfort of the dorm room. It didn't surprise me at all that Charlie lifted Jenny off her feet and cradled her carefully against his chest like she was the most precious thing in the world. If I'd been in a better mood, I might have appreciated how heroic and knight-in-shining-armour it all was. I lowered my head and let out a sigh of relief. At least I wouldn't have to half drag her back through the rain and up all those stairs.

It was then that someone hoisted me up onto my feet and put their arm around my waist.

'William?' I exclaimed as the boy tugged my arm over his shoulders. 'What are you doing?'

'Helping.'

'I don't need help,' I protested stubbornly. 'Let go of me!'

'Don't be so bloody stubborn! Just hold onto me. I'll get you back to the dorms.'

I didn't know what was more humiliating; the fact that the hateful boy was assisting me, or that he had seen me in my pyjamas.

Both.

They were both equally humiliating, and I wanted the ground to open and swallow me whole.